Government disbands CRPF's Parliament security unit, merges it with VIP unit

New Delhi: A special unit of the CRPF that was withdrawn from the security of Parliament last year has been finally disbanded and merged with the VIP security wing of the force that has been recently provided a new battalion comprising over 1,000 personnel, official sources said on Wednesday.

The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) issued an order on Tuesday "changing the nomenclature" of about 1,400 personnel strength Parliament Duty Group (PDG) to VIP Security Group (VSG) under the CRPF.

This came after the ministry early this month ordered transferring of the forces' battalion number 190, located in Jharkhand's Chatra district, to the VIP security unit of the force.

The battalion, with a strength of over 1,000 personnel, was deployed for undertaking anti-Naxal operations in Jharkhand.

The Central Reserve Police Group (CRPF) VIP security wing is presently providing protection to more than 200 people, including Union Home Minister Amit Shah and the Gandhi family of the Congress comprising Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra among others.

"The task of the VIP security wing is expanding every day. With a new battalion and the PDG, its strength has gone up to more than 8,000 personnel," a senior CRPF officer told PTI.

The PDG was withdrawn from the Parliament House in May last year after the job was handed over to the CISF. It was informally linked with the VIP security wing since its removal from Parliament, but its manpower will be utilised for the protection of high-risk dignitaries after the formal order received on Tuesday.

"The force rendered its duty with absolute dedication and without any error at Parliament, but it still bore the brunt of the major security breach that took place in 2023. It was an unfortunate exit for the CRPF from this iconic duty theatre," a senior officer of the PDG said.

On December 13, 2023 -- the anniversary of the 2001 Parliament terror attack -- two persons jumped into the Lok Sabha chamber from the public gallery during Zero Hour, released yellow smoke from canisters and shouted slogans before being overpowered by the MPs.